Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
Serving 375,000 People in 16 Counties
The River Valley Regional Commission was designated by the Economic Development Administration in 1968 as the Economic Development District for the region. As part of that designation, the agency is required to prepare a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) every five years with annual updates.
The CEDS provides information on demographics such as unemployment, per capita income, and the economic impact of tourism. The region is assessed using this information on a county by county basis. Based on this assessment, regional goals and objectives are identified to improve these demographics.
2021 CEDS Update
Please click here to view the 2021 CEDS update as required by the EDA.
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2018 – 2023 CEDS UPDATE
A comprehensive survey was used to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the region and existing local economic development plans (Columbus 2025, One Sumter, Grow Randolph, etc.) were also used as a part of the process to generate a new River Valley CEDS. Click HERE to view the 2022 CEDS document.
Goals and Objectives
Goals:
- Develop People Resources in the Region
- Sustain and Improve the Land Assets of the Region
Objectives:
- Provide quality, genuine places, and experiences for visitors
- Assist the Workforce of the region in gaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for regional jobs in the 21st Century
- Support the Recruitment, Retention, and Expansion of Businesses in the region
- Help the region sustain and improve the Quality of Life
- Foster Community Leadership
- Support Agriculture
- Improve Infrastructure
- Support Main Street and Downtown Improvements
- Improve Housing Stock
- Maintain Environmental Integrity in the Region
To see the 2018-2035 CEDS document, click CEDS.
The following documents were used to inform the CEDS rewrite and were all reviewed by the CEDS Committee.
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Contact Information
For comments and questions, contact Jim Livingston at 706-256-2910 or email jlivingston@rivervalleyrc.org.